My battery hasn't been charging correctly and I have noticed that the RPM gauge will bounce or work on and off if you turn the flashers on or will work if the lights are turned on. Overall, the battery loses charge after awhile and has to be charged back up. Battery is new so I don't think it has to do with that. The fact that the RPM gauge only working when another accessory is on is strange. I also believe if the battery is fully charged the RPM gauge works fine.
RPM Gauge won't work unless you turn lights on.
- Thread starter BeeFarmer
- Start date
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jinman
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2001
- Messages
- 20,387
- Location
- Texas - Wise County - Sunset
- Tractor
- NHTC45D, NH LB75B, Ford Jubilee
Your tachometer works off of a pulse stream coming from your alternator. Do you have a charge light illuminated on your instrument panel? If you don't have the charge lamp, shut off the engine and see that it comes on when the alternator is not running (to make sure the bulb is good). Then, start the engine and see if the light goes out. Next, use a voltmeter to check the voltage out of the alternator. Check the big terminal on your starter (+) to a good ground point (-). Record the voltage you see and then shut down the engine. Take another voltage reading and record it. If the first reading is higher than the second one by at least a couple of volts and your charge lamp is extinguishes when the engine is running, most likely the alternator is fine. If the alternator light is illuminated until you turn on the lights and then goes off, it's showing that the alternator has to be loaded before it works properly.
When you start your tractor after charging the battery, are you using only the battery to start the tractor or have you used something to boost the battery and get the tractor started? I would remove the connectors on the back of the alternator and make sure all the contacts are clean. Also, do the same with your instrument panel. Remove the panel and make sure the contacts in the plug are clean. Also, check the fuses while you have the instrument panel out. You might have a weird grounding problem that is letting the tach circuit find a ground path only when the lights are on, but my guess is that your alternator could also be on it's last leg and works intermittently. While troubleshooting, it might be a good thing to take the alternator to an auto parts place and get it checked.
BTW: Alternator excitation comes through the alternator light. If the lamp is burned out, your alternator may not work unless it self-excites. Also, there are two fuses for the alternator on most of our tractors, one supplies the excitation through the alternator light and the other supplies power to the voltage regulator portion of the alternator. The pulse stream to the tach is directly off the stator coil and the pulses are at 1/10 the actual alternator RPM. Since the alternator is belt driven with a pulley, the pulley size must be maintained on any replacement alternator for an accurate tach reading. Note: I'm not listing fuse numbers because I have a TC45D and don't know your specific fuse numbers on the TC33D. If you look at your Operator Manual, you'll have a table showing fuses. Probably fuse #1 will say "voltage regulator" and another fuse (maybe #5) will say "alternator excitation." Both of those fuses should be checked.
When you start your tractor after charging the battery, are you using only the battery to start the tractor or have you used something to boost the battery and get the tractor started? I would remove the connectors on the back of the alternator and make sure all the contacts are clean. Also, do the same with your instrument panel. Remove the panel and make sure the contacts in the plug are clean. Also, check the fuses while you have the instrument panel out. You might have a weird grounding problem that is letting the tach circuit find a ground path only when the lights are on, but my guess is that your alternator could also be on it's last leg and works intermittently. While troubleshooting, it might be a good thing to take the alternator to an auto parts place and get it checked.
BTW: Alternator excitation comes through the alternator light. If the lamp is burned out, your alternator may not work unless it self-excites. Also, there are two fuses for the alternator on most of our tractors, one supplies the excitation through the alternator light and the other supplies power to the voltage regulator portion of the alternator. The pulse stream to the tach is directly off the stator coil and the pulses are at 1/10 the actual alternator RPM. Since the alternator is belt driven with a pulley, the pulley size must be maintained on any replacement alternator for an accurate tach reading. Note: I'm not listing fuse numbers because I have a TC45D and don't know your specific fuse numbers on the TC33D. If you look at your Operator Manual, you'll have a table showing fuses. Probably fuse #1 will say "voltage regulator" and another fuse (maybe #5) will say "alternator excitation." Both of those fuses should be checked.
Thanks!!! I appreciate you taking the time to give me such detailed info. I will check tonight the two fuses first and go from there. When the battery wears down I normally charge it up or in some cases I have to use a boaster just to get it going. I think the alternator just isn't charging as it should. Let me run through your steps and will get back with you.
Thanks Again!!
Thanks Again!!
